This week is English Tourism Week and Waverley Borough Council has been flying the flag for its visitor economy.
As part of a campaign run by Visit Surrey, Waverley has taken the opportunity to promote its tourism businesses to potential visitors.
Dubbed as the corner of Surrey that is never boring, Waverley’s great outdoors, food experiences and blockbuster film sets provide visitors with countless opportunities to play and have fun.
To mark the start of English Tourism Week, Waverley’s Economic Development team invited four hotels and visitor businesses, including Farnham’s Bush Hotel, Community Rail Partnership, Winkworth Arboretum and The Packhouse, to join them on a stand at an excursions exhibition in Twickenham. The purpose was to promote Waverley businesses to the group travel market.
Councillor Liz Townsend, Waverley Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning and Economic Development, said: “Saturday’s exhibition was just one example of the practical support we have offered our tourism businesses. The stand generated lots of interest and organisers of group excursions were impressed by what Waverley has to offer.”
Before the pandemic, official figures showed that tourism was worth over £210 million to Waverley’s businesses and accounted for the employment of over seven per cent of the workforce.
Councillor Townsend added: “Many people visit Waverley for its historic towns and villages and stunning countryside, much of which is recognised as an area of outstanding natural beauty. Tourism and the visitor economy is an important contributor to our overall economy, and we are very lucky to have a variety of vibrant, picturesque and individual places where our visitors can visit and stay."
With government Covid restrictions preventing tourism for long periods of time, Waverley Borough Council earmarked the sector for special support from the government’s Additional Restrictions Grant. Practical support has included training, promotion, financial assistance and signposting to information. More is planned including enhancing Waverley’s profile on the Visit Surrey website, a destination marketing video and a consumer marketing brochure.
Tourism businesses that want to be involved and kept informed about available support, should email business.support@waverley.gov.uk.